AshesTeam has not played a lot of cricket, says Nasser Hussain as he defends England despite missed chances

By India Today Sports DeskEngland held a slender 82-run lead over Australia at the end of day two of the first Ashes Test, but it was the Australian dressing room that appeared more content with their performance.

Former England cricketer-turned-commentator Nasser Hussain described the day as a tough one for the hosts at Edgbaston. He said that spinner Moeen Ali impressed him with his deliveries, but England’s fielding faltered in the final session, with a missed stumping, a dropped catch, and a wicket off a no-ball.

Hussain pointed out that the lack of match practice for some players affected both their skills and fitness, highlighting the challenges faced by the team.

“I think a hard day really,” Hussain said on Sky Sports. “Day two, Edgbaston, it is usually a good day for batting. It is a slow, turgid pitch on which they had to work hard for everything.

“It did start to spin, I thought Moeen Ali bowled beautifully, but then I thought they were a bit sloppy in that last session. Missed stumping, dropped catch, no-ball wicket. A lot of this team haven’t played a lot of cricket. It isn’t just a skill-based thing it is a fitness thing. That came to the fore in the last session.”

Australia displayed resilience and determination on the second day against England. Starting the day at 14/0, Australia had a challenging task ahead as they aimed to chase down England’s declared total of 393. However, Stuart Broad quickly turned the tables with a double strike. David Warner’s mistimed shot led to an inside edge onto the stumps, while Marnus Labuschagne fell to Broad’s outswinger, caught by wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow.

Despite the setback, Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja built a steady partnership of 38 runs before England’s captain, Ben Stokes, trapped Smith lbw for a score of 16. Australia reached lunch at 78/3, still trailing by 315 runs. England deployed various bowlers, including part-timers Harry Brook and Joe Root, in an attempt to break through.

In the afternoon session, Travis Head and Khawaja counter-attacked, both reaching their half-centuries. However, England’s Moeen Ali proved to be a vital asset, dismissing Head for a quick 50. Australia’s consolidation continued until tea, with the score at 188/4 and the lead reduced to 205.

As the day progressed, Khawaja brought up his century, providing a moment of celebration for the Australian fans. Stuart Broad managed to dismiss Khawaja, but his joy was short-lived due to an overstep. Alex Carey, accompanied by Khawaja, capitalised on England’s missed opportunities, achieving a half-century and forming a partnership of 91 runs before play ended for the day.